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Fox News Releases Statement on Hannity's Trump Rally Appearance, Calls It an 'Unfortunate Distraction'

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President Donald Trump invited some influential supporters from the media to join him during his final campaign rally before Tuesday’s midterm elections.

The invited guests included Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro, two Fox News hosts who took the stage Monday night in Cape Girardeau, Missouri — to the chagrin of the cable news network.

As The Daily Caller reported, Hannity had received some backlash after the president listed him as a “special guest” in promoting the rally.

The radio and television host responded by telling his audience that he would not be actively campaigning with Trump and would only be on hand to broadcast from the event.

When Trump invited Hannity and Pirro on stage, both accepted, prompting a response from Fox News.

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In its statement, the network said it “does not condone any talent participating in campaign events.”

Calling the story an “unfortunate distraction,” Fox News indicated that it has already addressed the situation.

“We have an extraordinary team of journalists helming our coverage tonight and we are extremely proud of their work,” the network said.

Was it appropriate for Trump to invite Fox News hosts onstage?

Hannity briefly addressed the crowd, first referring to the journalists covering the event as “fake news.”

“Mr. President, I did an opening monologue today and I had no idea you were going to invite me up here,” he said. “The one thing that has made and defined your presidency more than anything else: Promises made, promises kept. Four and a half million new American jobs, 4.3 million Americans off food stamps, 4 million Americans out of poverty and we’re not dropping … cargo planes of cash to Iranian mullahs that chant ‘Death to America.’ Mr. President, thank you.”


https://youtu.be/DJ9XZnafxTs?t=1078

Hannity addressed the controversy over his appearance in a series of tweets Tuesday morning.

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In the first post, he said his statement prior to the rally was “100% truthful,” adding that he was “surprised, yet honored” that Trump would invite him onstage.

“This was NOT planned,” he wrote.

About a minute later, he published another tweet suggesting his colleagues deserve an exemption from his “fake news” comments.

“To be clear, I was not referring to my journalist colleagues at FOX News in those remarks,” Hannity tweeted. “They do amazing work day in and day out in a fair and balanced way and It is an honor to work with such great professionals.”

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Chris Agee is an American journalist with more than 15 years of experience in a wide range of newsrooms.
Chris Agee is an American journalist with more than 15 years of experience in a variety of newsroom settings. After covering crime and other beats for newspapers and radio stations across the U.S., he served as managing editor at Western Journalism until 2017. He has also been a regular guest and guest host on several syndicated radio programs. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife and son.
Birthplace
Virginia
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Texas Press Association, Best News Writing - 2012
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Journalism - Averett University
Professional Memberships
Online News Association
Location
Arizona
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment




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